Snapchat Stories - a rolling 24-hour highlights reel of your friends' comings and goings - is one of the app's most compelling features (probably why Instagram and Twitter have both had a go at copying it).

Now Snapchat is changing the way the Stories screen works: the stories themselves will no longer auto-advance and you'll be able to build up customised playlists to get a closer look at those friends you really care about.

Sponsored Discover stories are going to appear below updates from your friends, so there's less chance of you accidentally tapping on an ad when you really just want to find out what your pals are up to.

Not the same old Stories

Ads will still occasionally be inserted between clips on your playlists. To make a playlist, just tap the circular thumbnail to the left of each friend you want to see, then tap the play button that shows up at the bottom.

The updates are rolling out very soon across Android and iOS, Snapchat says, though you might not be able to see them just yet.

"Sometimes we just want to see what our close friends or family are up to - not all of our friends - and Auto Advance prevented that," said Snapchat in a blog post explaining the changes. Of course, if users don't like it, then it might get changed back.

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